ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY BLOG | INVENTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Mango Software for 1 day is having a special promotion on XMIND 2008 for Macintosh. XMIND 2008 is a full featured mind mapping application complete with templates to jump start the process. XMIND 2008 allows you to attach notes, files, hyperlinks, and audio files to your mindmaps. When you are finished with your mind map you can export it to Word,PowerPoint or as a PDF. Check it out!

I recently came across the Wowio website which has a number of free PDF books that you can download for free once you have registered. Take look at the directory-it looks as if they have a nice size library and a varied list of books on various topics.

As I thought about a Web 2.0 workshop that I will be doing at the Middlesex ETTC, East Brunswick, NJ on October 19th, I wanted to harness the power of the web and share with teachers the changing landscape. I have been trying to move away from paper handouts when I do presentations and have everything accessible on the web. As I was planning the workshop I thought about how I could do this in the most user friendly and accessible way and decided to use The PersonalBrain to put together my presentation. Here was my thinking. I could easily add URL links to my web as well as PDF files that my participants could access. Similarly, once I put together my Web 2.0 presentation in the PersoanlBrain I could easily export it to a Sitebrain HTML and put it up on web. One of the key benefits to this strategy is that my participants can quickly go to sites on the Internet as well as download PDF files that I have embedded in my PersonalBrain. After the workshop, my participants can access the site and dive deeper into exploring the material that I put up. If you would like to see the Web 2.0 Brain that I posted click here.

In July, I shared with you information about a free screen casting application called Jing from TechSmith. If you haven't taken a look at it you really should. It has been indispensable to me in the training that I do. Now instead of making handouts, I create some screen casts which I store on Screencast which teachers can review any time they like. I will be doing a training on how to use Adobe Acrobat to make tests and worksheets accessible and I have put together a series of screen casts which the teachers can access anytime they like. Jing has been updated several times since July and just keeps getting better and better. The folks at TechSmith should be applauded for making this handy tool available and for their constant attention to small details that makes the current release even more polished. Now when you do a video recording you get a 3 second countdown on your screen with a message that your microphone is on. The ease of use is second to none with the Screencast integration. If you plan on using Jing on a regular basis it really pays to become a subscriber and purchase a plan that works for you.

You can click here to preview the Jing screencast using Adobe Acrobat.

I had a chance to take a look at the new Web 2.0 word processor called Buzzword which is in beta right now. Buzzword is Flash based and feels very much like a full featured application that you would have installed on your computer. It supports headers, footers, lists as well as adding comments. You can also add images and tables to your document. Even though it is in beta it has a nice feel to it. One of the features which is impressive is the ability to share the document for collaborative work. This is a great feature! You should be aware that documents are stored on their server- so you may be hesitant to store anything of a confidential nature. Buzzword is very responsive and has a great look and feel to it. Buzzword is an Adobe product with lots of promise. I have put together a short video for you to take a look at it. Here is the link to preview the video. Enjoy!

I came across this neat application called Sketchcast which gives you access to a whiteboarding feature that could be ideal for creating instructional videos. Sketchcast works right within the browser and allows you to record what you are writing for future playback. In the video that I produced I am using the microphone from my webcam and a Wacom tablet to write with. It was very easy to set up and use. Think of all the applications that this has in the training that you do.

One of the tools that I use on a regular basis to support others who are using technology are desktop screen sharing applications. For the past year I have been using a commercial product which allowed me to share my computer desktop with others. Having the ability to share my desktop has allowed me to demonstrate how to use various software applications without the need to get into my car. It is a great tool for providing "just in time" software support and training. It is also an ideal tool for doing webinars.

I am always on the lookout for new companies that are developing new and innovative products and I recently came across a new desktop sharing piece of software called Yuuguu. You simply download the application from their website which is available for Macintosh a Windows and within minutes you could be doing a web conference, as I did this afternoon with my friend Laura from Inspiration, Inc. Laura was kind enough to show me some of the new features in InspireData 1.5, which I have written about in my blog. Both Laura and I were amazed at just how fast it was to start a desktop sharing session. Using a familiar buddy list metaphor you simply click on start a session and when the other person accepts you see their screen. You can also request to take control of their screen which was very cool! Here is a screenshot of what the session looked like when we were using Yuuguu. Yuuguu was fast and easy to use. Yuuguu will be adding the capability of doing desktop sharing directly through the browser in a future update which will make it an even more indispensable tool for providing others with support and training.

Last week I had a chance to talk to Philippe Schwartz, the CEO of OoVoo.com at the DigtialLife 2008 conference held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York city. OoVoo is determined to do for video conferencing what Skype has done for voice over internet protocol (VOIP). OoVoo makes it very easy for anyone with a webcam to set up a video conference with up to six participants with any desktop computer and a high speed Internet connection. Using a familiar buddy list you can quickly start a video conferencing session with very high quality video and audio. Phillipe showed me a resource indicator when six participants were on line and it barely made a dent in the terms of the computer processes and resources. The quality of the video and the audio was exceptional. OoVoo service is entirely free and you can download a Windows version of the program from the company's website. OoVoo will be releasing a Macintosh and Linux version of the application as well- making the program truly cross-platform. If you are interested in using video conferencing in your business or classroom then please take a look at this incredible service. To see the program in action you can take a look at this link showing how Arianna Huffington recently used OoVoo to interview House Judiciary Committee, John Conyers.